Battle Royal
by Connected2Fire
Summary: The Capitol is proud to present the 79th annual Hunger Games.' 5 years after Katniss & Peeta's dual-tribute win. New batch of tributes. Who will last to the end?
1. Decisions

Disclaimer: I do not own the fabulous book The Hunger Games or any of the amazing characters in it.

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**Preface: Decisions**

His eyes met mine. We both knew what was going to happen. My stomach was in knots. Why must the Capitol do this? Force us to kill each other in some pathetic attempt to make a point about their power. Because of something that happened almost eighty years ago!

We're at a stalemate. Similar to the Games only 5 short years ago. But it won't end the same. For two tributes can't both win. Especially when they're from two different districts. One of us needs to die. And to have the other die would be a painful torture.

My vision blurs. I feel the hot tears roll down my face. I run across the clearing to the one person that matters most to me. He envelops me in his arms. I look up into his amber eyes and see that he too, has been crying. How things have changed over these past weeks. We both had our names pulled from the Reaping balls. We both had our families hurt, begging us to come back home. We both were sent to the Capitol, where we were both stuck in this arena to fight to the death.

I wish I didn't let my feelings overrule me. If only I followed my mentor's instructions, then I wouldn't be in this mess. But I chose my own path and, in the end, more people got hurt.

"Don't leave me," was all I managed to get out. I sound so lost, so desperate. But then again, I am. He can't leave me once we just started.

He didn't say anything. We both knew that if it were to come to this, he would die for me.

He bent down and our lips met. The kiss wasn't fierce, like I was used to. It was soft and gentle. Our final goodbye to each other. It was too soon when it ended. Oh how I wish the kiss lasted a little longer. I wish so much lately, I don't know what I really want. But then I realized.

I want us to be together.

Him and me. Side by side. Forever.

But that will never happen. Not while we are part of the Games. Not while we still stand, alive, in this arena. Not while the Capitol still rules over us.

He let go of me and started walking towards the forest edge. He reached into the bushes. Something reflected the light. A knife. He raises it to his heart, and in his eyes, you can see how much it pains him. To end his life for another tribute.

"I'll always be with you," he says right before the knife pierces his skin.

I scream.

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_Sorry guys. I'm trying to get out the next chapter as fast as possible. And my great friend told me that there IS a difference between prologue and preface...darn dictionary! So that's the only thing that's changed. I'll will to get the next chapter out today or tomorrow. ~X (Connected2Fire)  
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	2. Reaping Day

**Chapter 1: Reaping Day**

The crisp morning air awakens me. I jump out of bed as silently as possible, being careful not to wake my sisters. I've got an older sister Amylia, a younger sister Vivie, and a mother and father who are never around. So Amylia and I do what we have to, in order to keep our family going. Cooking, cleaning, taking care of Vivie. This is what we've been doing for years, since our parents aren't doing anything to help.

Light just barely clears the tops of the orchard trees, the wildlife awakens with the rising sun. Something doesn't seem right. The day feels too good to be true. And then I remember.

It's Reaping Day.

Reaping Day is horrible for all of us in District 11. It's the one day a year where parents fear for their children's safety. Or in our case, we fear that someone in our messed-up family will get chosen. Especially now that Vivie is of age. Today will be her first Reaping Day. Amylia is going to be freaking out over Vivie getting picked. But I'm more scared that Amylia will be. This is the last year that she can be entered in the Hunger Games, which means she has the most slips in the glass ball then the rest of us.

As I'm lost in thoughts of the coming Reaping Day, I pass by some other kids about my age. I feel alien in this district. Everyone has lovely dark skin, while mine's blindingly pale. The hours spent outside during harvest don't change it. Not even slightly! Besides that, I have brown hair and brown eyes. Brown equals basic. Basic equals nothing special. Yep, that's me. Kelcie Pruet. The 14 year old alien in District 11.

I quickly make my way back home, for I still need to get ready. As I open the front door, you can see the pre-Reaping preparation. Amylia, while attempting to start making dinner, is helping Vivie get ready for the ceremony. Her muted green dress falls just below the knees. I remember wearing that same dress to my first Reaping Day and I'm pretty sure that Amylia did as well. Her dark hair is pulled back from her face with a simple metal clip. Amylia is already in her light pink dress, with her hair done the same way as Vivie's. You can see the tension in her face. She just wants the Reaping to be over with.

I go over to a chair where Amylia has laid out the dress for me to wear. It's a black scoop neck dress with cap sleeves and a skirt that falls down to the knee. There is a black ribbon that is neatly tied in a bow.

"Is this new?" I ask Amylia.

"I thought you would want something different this time," she says simply.

I take the dress without complaints and put it on. It looks absolutely stunning against my pale skin. Leave it to Amylia to make the alien look spectacular. I let Amylia quickly do my hair before we rush out to the square for the dreaded Reaping.

With just moments to spare, we get to the square. We corralled up and seated with our age group. Around me are 14 year olds, who are all scared about being picked. Two unlucky people in the crowd will be picked. There's nothing we can do to stop it.

The mayor gets up onto the stage, looks out into the terrified group of people and says:

"It is both a time for repentance and a time for thanks."

Oh no, here he goes again. Every year it's the same long-winded speech about how the districts tried to rebel against the Capitol, and lost. The Capitol obliterated District 13 to prove their power. On top of that, the atrocious Hunger Games were started seventy-nine long years ago.

He eventually finishes his lengthy spiel and lists the past victors from District 11. Shocking as it may be, we have had past victors from District 11, but hardly any. Dreger Malloy and Rina Lancey are the only ones here today. They are going to be the mentors for the District 11 tributes. Those lucky tributes. No, I'm not trying to be sarcastic. It would be good to have them as mentors, I guess. I don't really know who the other mentors are though, so there's no one to compare them to. But no one here purposely goes out of their way to be a tribute.

The mayor finishes the extraordinarily short list, and some energetic lady goes up onto the stage. She looks oddly familiar. I start thinking about where I've seen her before when it hits me. It's Effie Trinket. She was sent to help with the tributes from District 12 for the 74th Hunger Games. It has been 5 years, and she still has the same brightly coloured hair.

"Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be _ever_ in your favor," she says in a way-too-chipper voice. It disgusts me that people enjoy the Hunger Games. Or that people are trying to make it better than it actually is.

With a giant smile, she says "Okay! Let's do the ladies first!"

Her hand reaches into the giant glass ball, and my stomach knots up. This is the moment I've feared my entire life, or one of them at least. I don't ever want to see any of my sisters have to stand on that stage, be forced to leave and have to fight for their life.

She pulls out a small piece of paper, flattens it and speaks into the microphone:

Kelcie Pruet.

Me?!?! I'm no super-being! I'm just average! I have good grades in school, but that's about it. I am incapable of doing anything athletic. That's really sad if you ask me. I guess I can run, but anyone can do that. I don't have superior killing skills. I don't have any secret talents that I keep hidden from the world. With me, what you see is what you get. Ask anyone!

I could beg and plead all I want, but in the end, it wouldn't matter. No one would sacrifice themselves for me. If only I lived in a place like District 2, where everyone would jump at the opportunity to participate in the Games. I can't imagine that ever happening, but you see it every year on the screens. As for me, I'm as good as dead. I know right now, that I don't even stand a chance.

I slowly get up and walk toward the stage. This cannot be happening. I still have to help Amylia. I still have to take care of Vivie. But I don't complain. I keep a calm demeanor, even though I'm dying on the inside. Well I will be soon enough.

I mount the stage and turn to look out into the crowd. I see Amylia's scared face. I see Vivie sobbing in her seat. I see the sadness move through the crowd. Not for me, but for the Games itself. For the innocent tributes that are forced to kill each other.

Well, there's still hope that we'll get a victor from District 11.

Effie puts on her giant smile again.

"Let's pick the boy tribute!"

Her hand reaches into the other glass ball and pulls out another piece of paper. The next tribute name is read aloud:

Pierce Kenway.

If District 11 had any chance of winning, it was just lost. I, along with Pierce, am hopeless. His skill level is equivalent to mine: terrible. But if it were between just the two of us, Pierce would have a better chance of winning than me.

He gets out of his seat and walks up to the stage. His shoulders are back. His face is expressionless. He's trying to be calm and brush this off as if it is nothing. We all attempt that calm demeanor. But on the inside, it kills us. If they only knew how it felt.

Effie Trinket seems enthusiastic about this year's tributes…but then again, she's that way about everything. She asks for any volunteers. Typical that no one offers to be a tribute. The mayor begins reading the Treaty of Treason. I don't bother listening to it. I have more important things to worry about. Like Amylia and Vivie and my inability to kill people or the fact that I'm going to have to kill kids that are my age. I sneak a glance at Pierce. He's staring blankly into the distance, lost within his own thoughts. Huh, and I thought I was the only one that wasn't listening to the depressing Treaty. The background murmur of the mayor's voice stops, so I assume he's finished. I turn to Pierce and shake his already outstretched hand. I look up quickly. You can see the fear in his eyes. As they always say, the eyes are the mirror to the soul.

We soon get rushed off to the tribute building. It's the same building that the poor tributes of District 11 get put in every year, where their family and friends say their final goodbyes before being sent off to the Capitol.

They walk me down a long, never-ending hallway, and eventually I get put in my own tribute room. Wow. That is the only word that I can use to describe it. Rich colours, expensive fabrics, and antique furniture all put together in one room, creating…wow! If you get chosen as a tribute, at least you get to die in luxury.

My sisters come into the magnificent room first with tear-stained faces from the Reaping. I'm saddened by the image of them, having to watch me die. My death will haunt them forever. They shouldn't be hurt like this. It will only make their lives harder.

Even them trying to get by everyday will be harder. Amylia is going to end up taking on the full-time job of watching and caring for Vivie. My parents aren't going to help. Where have they been these past years? Not in my life or Vivie's or Amylia's. I don't even consider them part of my family anymore. It's just the three of us.

I waste no time crying in front of them. I have the whole train ride to the Capitol to do that. So I jump in to what they have to do. Split up the work. This, unfortunately, means that Vivie will have to help out a little more than before. Otherwise Amylia will overload herself, as she tries to do now.

After a little bit of silence, Amylia says, "Keep fighting. No matter how bad it may be."

"I will," I promise them both. I need to try, at least for them. Even though I know that I won't be coming home again.

The Peacekeepers come in and tell my sisters that their time is up. So with one last parting hug, we say our farewells and they are taken out of the room.

Next to come in are my parents. Their faces show that they are shocked by the outcome of today's Reaping. Saying nothing, they sit down in the velvet armchairs across from me. Actually that's what they do the entire time. They sit there quietly, zoned off in their own little worlds. Eventually the Peacekeepers come and escort them out of the room.

Soon after, I get lead out of the room towards the train platform. When we get there, I see Pierce. He doesn't show any pain, loss or emotion at all. Either he is still acting or he isn't affected in any way by the Reaping.

I feel lonelier than ever before. Even with the noisy crowd around me I still feel isolated. I wish this were just a really bad dream, for after a while I would have to wake up. But this is no dream. This is as real as all the deaths that are going to occur during these Games.

The train slowly pulls up to the station and I board without comment. I don't look back into the crowd from District 11. Otherwise I would be overwhelmed with everything that I'm leaving behind. Before long, the train starts up on its way again. Off towards the Capitol and the treacherous things that await me.

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_End of chapter 1. Muahaha. I'll try and get the next one out within the next 2 weeks. SORRY! But there is a picture of Kelcie's dress on my profile, so go check it out! :D ~X (Connected2Fire)_


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